The Sheep And The Lion
by JustBeMe13
Summary: Ussop has two friends, and nobody can see them but him.


**The Sheep And The Lion**

_Merry_ appeared to him as a small sheep. A little thing that liked to jump around his legs while he worked on fixing her. She enjoyed his company and he hers. Nobody believed him when he'd tell them so he kept it to himself. He'd seen her different form once, on Sky Island. He knew she was injured, and tried to patch her up the best he could. She knew it as well, but her form stayed strong and never wavered. He was happy that she was here, it gave him a sense of peace.

When they finally reached Water 7, she was in bad condition and he knew it. He knew it like none of the others. But he wouldn't let himself believe it just yet. When _Merry_ told him that she wouldn't last long, he brushed her off and ignored it. When his captain told him, he'd started a fight and lost everything. His friends, his family, his crew.

Ignoring what he knew, he patched her up again and again until he could do it no more. Until the ship was taken and he was forced to believe himself. _Merry_ attempted to comfort him, it helped just a little. And when she had been send to sea to die, he cried, for the first time, over her.

Resigning himself, he'd gone to save his friends. It took a long time and they were all injured and learned a few different things about themselves. And of course the captain didn't recognize him with his mask, so he took it for granted. And when finally, the battle was over and _Merry_ had saved them one more time, he felt relief flood him.

But then came the time he dreaded, and he could do nothing but watch in sorrow as _Merry_ was burned. The captain apologized, and _Merry_ did too. Having none of it, the captain said it was their fault and that she wasn't the one who did all this. _Merry_ had smiled then, the sheep standing by his legs still not wavering while her second form went up in flames.

She had thanked them for the adventures, knowing she could not carry them any longer. He had cried, the sheep bumped his leg and he knew. He knew he'd hear her voice again, many more times. Both of them disappeared as they got back on land and he assured her he would get back to his crew. It made her sheep form jump about in utter bliss and happiness.

When he did apologize, he was allowed back with smiles and tears and runny noses. It had taken a while for his pride to break and actually apologizing, pretending nothing was wrong for the first few minutes. But that just wouldn't do, and when he realized it, he'd said he was sorry, from the bottom of his heart.

_Merry_ had comforted him then, saying he'd done a good job. He could do not but smile. The new ship was remarkable and strong. _Merry_ took an instant liking to the ship and he found her many a day laying on the grass or fazing through his crew members, trying to see if she could touch them. For a long time, it didn't work.

A few months later and there was a new consciousness born from the love the ship received. _Merry_ flew to him like her life depended on it and dragged him out to the deck in the early morning, the ocean calm and peaceful. On the deck, curled in on itself, was a small lion, not any bigger than _Merry _was.

Said sheep bounded towards the lion and attacked it with a playful pounce. The lion roared cutely and he couldn't help but give a soft smile. This ship had received the same love as the _Merry_, and formed a klabautermann. He was glad.

The lion introduced itself as _Sunny_, but he already knew that. _Merry_ and _Sunny_ became best friends quickly enough and were rarely seen without the other. When fighting, he spotted them, when partying, when resting and when having a normal day out on the ship, he spotted them. They were a constant reminder of his friends and family that he now had and what he called his home. He would never trade it for anything in the world. This was home.

But then came their worst time. The time they were too injured to fight. The time they were almost annihilated. The time they almost died. _Merry _and _Sunny_ had called for him, screaming his name as one of his crew mates disappeared with a 'pop'. But he couldn't move, couldn't fight. And when it was his turn, _Merry_ and _Sunny_ both jumped him and clung to his flying body like it was the only thing keeping them alive. And that was true for one of them. _Merry_ was anchored to him and _Sunny_ wanted to come along, keeping them company.

When they landed after three days of constant flying, he was thrilled to see what island they were at. He couldn't keep his grubby hands to himself and in no time he was as fat as a cow. He couldn't go home like that and he found a person to help him. _Merry _and _Sunny_ were slightly disappointed in him and he apologized. No day later and he got a newspaper that made him cry profusely. The Klabautermann's asked what was wrong and he showed them. The three of them cried, and cried 'till the next paper arrived telling them to stay not three days, but two years.

With newfound courage and determination, he began to train himself. Train until he could move no more and finally build up some muscle. With the help of the spirits and his new friend, he made it all the way to his goal. And when he finally went home, he couldn't help but miss the island he had spent two years on a little. The journey was long and hard, but it was worth everything when he finally got back. _Sunny_ cheered when he saw his body again and bounded over to it. To the snipers surprise, he bumped right into their navigator. And when she looked down, her face showed her surprise and happiness.

He smiled at her when she spotted him and she motioned to the Lion and the Sheep. He told her what they were, told everyone what they were, and he was finally believed.

And the ships' spirits? Well, they were happier than ever before. Smiling at each other, they couldn't help but believe they were finally home.


End file.
